SONA heralds ‘new face of patronage’

The good thing about the recent SONA is that it made the filipinos dream and it acknowledged the efforts of our local leaders (athletes, a boxer and a beauty queen. For as long as the filipino stomach is hungry, to give them fantastic dreams could be a pallative solution. But until when?

my local exec friend is still hopeful that chacha will push through this year and No-El will happen. i don’t know if they have a fifth ace in their sleeves…but somehow he’s confident enough to say it to me…fifth ace? that would be cheating…

hey, did she not allow herself to be proclaimed president by cheating? so what else is new?

they have a thing going to end the red tape in our outmoded constitution. they will push through with this by whatever means necessary. look at how careful the speechwriter avoided the use of the phrase charter change with its much maligned connotation. he instead used constitutional change to veil gloria’s ultimate goal of crafting the fundamental law to subscribe to her (as well as her minions’) whims and caprices…all for their survival; all for their self-perpetuation; all for their unending prosperity.

as chancellor palpatine* once said, all who gain power are afraid to lose it; even the jedi, so too our noble leaders (esp. gloria, who has grown to possess enormous power) are afraid their powers will eventually conk out. happen this must not…a thought racing through our noble leaders’ minds.

i don’t know what the fifth ace meant and i don’t know what promises are made to the local execs by the palace. definitely my friend won’t tell (he has no inkling probably?). but this he told me: charter change will push through, there will be no midyear elections next year as the elections will come in november 2007.

maybe the answer lies in the SONA: the mega infrastructure project outlined in gloria’s enlightening (as it brightens the minds of congressmen and local execs to big bucks in the form of kickbacks inevitably included in the project) SONA is a cunning way of enjoining a large proportion of our countrymen to her side…all in the name of progress, prosperity and unity. this will pave the way for the realization of her dreams.

pardon me, but this is not a new face of patronage. this is plain old DPWH corruption in the works…only in a much bigger scale with an in your face attitude…also a plain old cheating style incumbents are wont to commit…patronage politics of old, in short.

(but then again, is gloria really the legitimate incumbent? therefore, a plain old cheating style of the one who cheated her way to incumbency!)

i just hope and pray my local exec friend is wrong about his information.

—–
*in star wars, the revenge of the sith; i quoted a sinister character to portray more of the evil in gloria & co.’s characters

In Jinggoy’s own contra-SONA, he divulges more lies attributed to the Great Economissed’s SONA. He says Gloria has not received any funds from Japan’s JBIC and the four ongoing projects JBIC has funded are not Gloria’s but Erap’s.

The Iloilo airport (Drilon’s pet project, to which inauguration Drilon invited Gloria to relocate Malacañang in Iloilo at the height of the Garci scandal, only to ask for her resignation a few days later, remember?), the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway, the Mindanao Container Terminal, and the Camanava flood control project were all approved in 2000 and JBIC-funded, according to Jinggoy.

Akala ko si Makoy lang ninanakawan ng credit, napakadesperado namang pati si Erap, inaagawan din.

Kunsabagay, yung mga natapos na project na pinagbabanggit niya sa SONA, dahil wala na yatang maipakitang original na kanya, pati na barangay road, inari akala mo siya ang may pagawa.

Nakakahiya ka baka sa susunod na SONA pati pagpapasundot sa kanal ariin mo pa, Credit-grabber!

I used to enjoy writing lots of comments in this forum. Not any more. Because there is too much negativism, unproductive criticisms, anger, hatred, sarcasm and fault-finding. Nothing is ever said any more about the good things behind the bad. Many foreign readers who come here for some news and who may not be quite knowledgeable or familiar, including fellow Filipinos living abroad, cannot fail to have the wrong perception, as there abundantly are, that this is the kind of breed the Filipinos are like today. It casts the wrong face of the Filipinos because of the impression that there is endless squabbling and fighting among ourselves. Because all we do is talk about politics. It would be totally unfair to have this sweeping impression on the Filipinos. It is just that some think with malice, some show genuine concerns, and still some stand for their convictions. Quickly forgotten, there are also an infinite number of Filipinos who want to do something better, something much greater than speaking out their angry minds, but to also bring something positive that will help raise this country to the next level which countless striving Filipinos are doing now … like this Englishman who kept his faith in the Filipinos.

With my profound apologies to PCIJ, please allow me to reprint this story because of its relevance to the situation. This story has long been making the rounds in the internet and perhaps may have reached some of you. I would like to share this beautiful story with those who have not. Thank you.

AN ENGLISHMAN’S FAITH IN FILIPINOS

These days, it’s so fashionable to give in to the belief that this country is hopeless, that it’s catch as catch can and the devil take the hindmost.

But every once in a while, a story comes along that stands out because it highlights the best in every Filipino — the traits that we sometimes forget we have and that others have to see in us before we even remember that they exist.

Then, you realize that we’re only hopeless if we think we are. And that we can actually do something to improve the lives of the people around us if we set our minds to it.

Many people have heard of the story of Dylan Wilks, the rich young Englishman who started a life of improving the plight of poor, homeless Filipinos by selling his BMW to build cheap houses for 80 families. But few people really know what led Wilks to do what he did two years ago.

Now Wilks has settled in Manila, where he has become one of the most prominent endorsers of everything good in the Pinoy. He was interviewed recently by Bo Sanchez for Kerygma magazine, the alternative Christian glossy, which is published by Shepherd’s Voice.

Nowadays, when every politician seems to be talking about how to save the poor and the country without really doing anything, it’s nice to hear from someone who has actually dedicated his life to doing just that — one household at a time.

* * *
Dylan Wilks was born to a poor family. But at the young age of 20, he started a computer games company that made him a millionaire. Soon, Dylan operated in nine countries and ran his own TV channel. Then at the age of 25, Dylan sold his company for multi-million British pounds. He became the ninth richest person in the Great Britain under the age of 30.

But one night, while lying in bed, he was distressed by a nagging question that wouldn’t let him sleep. “God, why am I rich?”

He asked if there was a reason for his immense wealth. Ironically, he also felt terribly empty inside. This, despite his ability to have any kind of pleasure he wanted. He had just bought himself a brand-new Ferrari and took one holiday after another. But he was discovering that pleasure was like fire… it constantly needed more fuel to keep it going. And he realized he would never be happy in the path he was taking.

One day, a Filipina friend visited him. She said she felt guilty going there because her plane fare could have built two homes for the poor. That made Dylan pause. How can you build two houses for that measly amount? He decided to investigate.

In January 2003, he visited the Philippines. And for three hours, Gawad Kalinga (GK) Director Tony Meloto brought Dylan to different GK villages for the poor. With his own eyes, he saw something that would change his life forever…

Bo: What did you see on that day?

Dylan: I saw hope. More than newly built houses, I saw transformed lives. We were entering rather dangerous slums, breeding ground for thieves and kidnappers… yet in the middle of that was an oasis… the Gawad Kalinga village. I saw people smiling, men working, children laughing… I’ve seen many other projects in South East Asia and across the world. And I’ve never seen anything like GK. This was different. This really worked!

Bo: So what did you do after your trip?

Dylan: I went back to England. I saw my BMW parked in the garage and realized I could build 80 homes with it… and affect the lives of 600 people. I saw the faces of the children I could help. I called up Tony Meloto and told him I was thinking of donating $100,000 to Gawad Kalinga and asked him if that was okay…

Bo: What did Tony say?

Dylan: He said, “No, I don’t want your money.”

Bo: Only Tony can say something like that. (Laughs.)

Dylan: He said if I was really serious in working for the poor, I should go back to the Philippines. So two months later, I sold my BMW and flew back to Manila. And in June of that year, I made a decision to stay in the Philippines and work for GK for seven more years.

Bo: Wow.

Dylan: I’ve decided to invest in the poor of the Philippines. Not in stocks or bonds. If I can help in uplifting the poor of this country, I can say that I spent my life well.

Bo: I presume your family wasn’t too crazy about that decision.

Dylan: No! They thought I was brainwashed by a religious cult! (Laughs.) So my mother came and spied on me. But she was soon convinced of the beautiful work we were doing and went back home and told my sister about it. And my sister said, “Oh no, they brainwashed you too!” (Laughs.) But today, all of them support what I do.

Bo: You’ve made a decision to give up your wealth for the Filipino poor.

Dylan: I don’t see it as a sacrifice. When you give charity out of pity, you feel pain parting with your money. But when you give charity because you love, you don’t feel that pain. You only feel the joy of giving to someone you love. That’s what I feel.

Bo: I hear you built an entire village for GK in Bulacan.

Dylan: I don’t see it as my village. I just provided the materials. Architects, engineers, volunteers gave their labor. Together, we built 63 houses for the poor.

Bo: Amazing. What else do you do?

Dylan: I go around the world telling everyone that Filipinos are heroic. Because I work with them every day… the volunteers of GK.

Bo: What do you see in the Filipino that we take for granted?

Dylan : You’re hardworking. You’re always laughing, always eating, always singing. Even in your problems. You’re loyal. And honest. Sure, there are exceptions, but generally, that’s been my experience. And you have the bayanihan spirit. The pyramids of Egypt are beautiful but they were built by slavery. GK villages are more beautiful because they’re made through the bayanihan spirit of the Filipino. It’s especially this bayanihan and love of family and community that makes the Filipino more valuable than gold. If you take a golden nugget and kick it on the floor for 400 years, afterwards you won’t be able to see much gold, just mud. This was what happened to the Filipino… for 400 years you were slaves and then you suffered under dictatorship and corruption. This is where the crab mentality came from; I don’t think it’s a natural Filipino quality because every day I see the gold under the surface of ordinary Filipinos. If we wipe away the mud by bringing hope and being brothers to one another in bayanihan, the gold will shine through and the world will see it.

Bo: Let me get personal here. I hear that you don’t only love the Filipinos, but you’ve fallen for a particular Filipina.

Dylan: (Smiles.) Two months ago, I married Anna Meloto, the eldest daughter of Tony Meloto. She grew up with the GK work, so we’re totally one in our mission. And yes, I’ll be having Filipino children. The best way I can secure a future for my kids is to continue to help raise this country from poverty. Instead of building high walls in an exclusive subdivision to protect us from thieves and kidnappers, I will go to the breeding ground of thieves and kidnappers and help transform their lives
.
Bo: Thank you for this interview. You don’t know how much you inspired me.

Dylan: Thank you for being our partner in GK. I read Kerygma every month and I’m happy to see GK stories in every issue.

Bo: It’s our immense privilege to tell the world about it and ask others to join the miracle.

Dylan: To me, GK isn’t just Gawad Kalinga. It is a part of “God’s Kingdom” in this world. Thank you.

________________________________________

dylan wilk’s story is indeed old news!

…and tony meloto’s account of his past is an old one too!

…exactly one year and one month today when pdi featured the lives of messrs. tony and dylan in their sunday treat. i know, for i still hold the section (hard copy) of that newspaper issue…and allowed others to read it when i get the chance.

From Rags to Riches, and Back to the Slums
This Englishman Gave It All Up to Build Homes for Filipinos

i’m not embarrassed to save something others may consider worthless. besides, you can view the articles online and you can even spread them more efficiently through email. but it’s one thing for anyone to spread old news (without knowing if it was read or not) and another thing for anyone to witness others to read that old news. i consider the latter to be much better…

the two stories certainly uplifts anyone who were able to understand that integrity, honesty and kindness makes a man (or a woman – to those feminists out there). tony’s and dylan’s paths crossed and it really is a miracle.

…a miracle that i know can happen to other Filipinos…it never hurts to pray that more of our countrymen will be incorruptible, honest and kind.

arturo, when i feel dejected by sad, disturbing news (esp. politics) i am but human that i vent my anger to write what i think…nonetheless, i thank you…for reminding me to again unfold that particular newspaper and resume to spread the good news…even an old one!

tigilan nyo na yang pagalingan nyo sa english at wala din naman kayong naitutulong sa bansang pilipinas.di nyo ba napupuna ang mga pinagsasabi ni joselu ? imbis ay mag bigay na lang kayo ng idea kung pano makakatulong sa kalagayan ng ating bansa. ano man ang kasalanan ng bogus nating presidente bahala na ang hukuman ang mag husga sa kanya. yan ay kung hindi mabibili ng pera ang ating kagalang galang na mga hukom.Sa mga drawing na proyekto ni bogus presidente arroyo ang masasabi ko lang sa dami ng mga ofw sa ibat ibang bansa ay nakahanda kaming mag bigay ng tulong ngunit may katibayan ang bibitawan naming pera halimbawa share certificate ng banko central. sa ganun anumang kinita ng bawat project ay pwede naming ibenta ang share na aming binili sa gobyerno.sa bawat ofw sa buong mundo kahit tig sampung libo piso lang ay makakatulong yun sa ating bansa. eto yung nakikita ko sa bansang aking pinagtatrabahuan na kung may project ay willing sila bumili ng share ang mga tao sapagkat alam nilang may dividend kahit maliit at higit sa lahat nakatulong sa gobyerno .

it’s funny to see a marcos lecturing arroyo and her supporters about corruption and illegitimacy–and the sad part is, she’s right… about Arroyo’s corruption and illegitimacy. sigh

my, my… how times have changed.

ang masama pa, we know that IMELDA and Arroyo are now allies.

http://politicaljunkie.blogspot.com/2005/09/out-na-si-cory-kay-gma-per o-in-naman.html

by project na certificate ang sinasabi ko kaibigan kesa mag salungatan tayo pag pasensyahan mo na lang.hindi ko minamaliit ang mga nandyan.lahat pwedeng bumili ayon sa iyong kakayahan espesyally mga ofw sa ganun mga pinaghirapan namin ay mapapakinabangan din pag uwian . tulad ng nangyari ngayon sa lebanon. maliit na idea lang yan kesa naman sa englisan pare pareho naman tayong pilipino .kung kaharap mo amerkano mag english ka kung pinoy magtagalog ka …

matagal ng issue yang owwa fund ,hinokus pokus ng mga nandyan kaya di ko minamaliit ang kakayahan ng pinoy lalot pat sa mga ganyang magic magic .bank to bank ang pag iissue ng share sa mga project lalot pat di naman kalakihan kung ofw o mga nandyan ang bibili ng share .gobernment bonds ? 10 k lang naman di na kelangan ang gob bonds .

matagal na ang pagsasakripisyo naming mga ofw . sa katunayan akala ng mga anak namin at mahal sa buhay kami yung nasa larawan na one thousand.

sa pagkuha palang ng Overseas Employment Certificate sa POEA sakripisyo na … dadagdagan pa kung saan nga napunta yung binabayad namin sa OWWA at PhilHealth … pero anong magagawa namin ? hindi kami papaalisin ng bansa kung walang OEC .
samantala , makakasabay pa namin sa eroplano papuntang hongkong o kung saan man ang ating magagaling na mambabatas at government officials kasama ang kanilang mga pamilya na mukhang mag to tour or mag shopping spree.
haaay kakalungkot talaga.

suit yourself.

Mowa,

“tigilan nyo na yang pagalingan nyo sa english at wala din naman kayong naitutulong sa bansang pilipinas”
There is nothing wrong writing in English, di naman eto school na bibigyan ka ng grado sa galing mong mag Pilipino o mag english, alalahanin mo may mga foreigner din na nagbabasa dito. Kung may mali man sa spelling or grammar, oks lang yun, ang mahalaga dito e yung idea mo ay mailahad mo sa paraang nakakayanan mo (pwera na lang kung pilit na minamali yung mga spelling tulad ni Joselu dahil may ibang hangarin yun). Wag mo din sabihin na walang maitutulong sa bansa, dahil wala ka naman karapatan na husgahan ang bawat isa dito. The main purpose of the blog is to share idea in whatever form acceptable to the rest of the people. Pero yung bawat isa may karapatang mamulitika kasi bomoto sila db? So, may karapatan silang husgahan ang presidente kung sino man siya, mabuti man o masama yun e nasa humuhusga na, pwede rin namang neutral.

”ano man ang kasalanan ng bogus nating presidente bahala na ang hukuman ang mag husga sa kanya.”
Ikaw na rin ang maysabi ”yan ay kung hindi mabibili ng pera ang ating kagalang galang na mga hukom” Yan na ang isyu ngayon, impeachment is beeing bought via pork barrel and project promises and via technicalities. Wala ng hukuman, nakikita mo ba yun?

Wala namang problema sa mga panukalang proyekto o pagtulong ng mga OFW to provide funds. Ang problema eh yung mag mamanage ng proyekto. Di mo pa ba nakita sa mga nagdaang mga proyekto? Foreigner already provided funds pero nakurakot pa rin tulad ng bagong Airport, yung privatization ng electric facilities, yung mga highway na over budget, diba maliking isyu na iyon? Tapos itatapon mo pa yung kaunting naiipon nting mga OFW sa kanilang management? Paano natin masisiguro na yung hawak natin na certificate of shares e hindi mawawalan ng silbe pagdating ng panahon ng pag kubra? E etong ngang CAP ng anak ko naglaho considering na BPI and backer nun, may ginawa ba ang gov? wala, asan ang BPI? Andiyan pa rin nakatayo pa rin. Yung isang anak ko pa nasa pacific plan, nanganganib din yun na matunaw.

”at higit sa lahat nakatulong sa gobyerno”
At bakit naman kailangan ko na tulungan ang gobyerno? E diba dapat na ako, tayo, ang tulungan ng gobyerno? Bakit kamo? Yung mga nakaupo sa gobyerno umaasa sa perang share sa tax diba? O e bat ko yun tutulungan e may nakalaan na para duon? Management lang ang hinihingi sa kanila ng bayan, at kung kulang man ang pondo, aba eh dapat gumawa sila ng paraan kung papano yun malulunasan, pero hindi yan nangyayari kasi yung mga pulitiko natin umaasa lang, tapos kakaltasan pa nila yung inaasahan nila sa sarili nilang kapakanan. Halimbawa, sasabihin nila wala tyaong kalsada kasi wala tayong budget, aba! E di dapat hikayatin niya yung mga tao na mag balikatan, o kaya humingi siya ng abuloy sa mga mayayaman, o kaya mag isip siya ng programa na magkakapera ang kaban, o kaya mag pa BOT siya. Management siya hindi palamunin na naghihintay ng pork barrel na susi sa lahat ng kurakot.

”matagal na ang pagsasakripisyo naming mga ofw”
Matagal na nga ang sakripisyo kaya nararapat lang na wag mo ng itapon ang natitira mo pang 10K sa kasalukuyang gobyerno.

What’s wrong with the people here? I remember the firt time i made a comment in this blog i was branded as a GMA loyalist.

Keep your cool Toro, as what freewheel said – if you are not around, who is going to try and infect us with your limitless optimism.

Kabayang Mowa:

Sabi mo: di na natin trabaho yung bantayan ang mandurugas sa gobyerno

Sagot ko: Malaking pagkakamali yan Mowa. Trabaho ng bawat isang mamayan na bantayan ang Gobyernong pinagkatiwalaan ng mga mamayan na siyang mamuno. If you insist in your point it only means you do not know where politics start.

Sabi mo: ang sa kin lang kahit pano sa mga gulong nangyayari ay makatulong tayo sa kahit na maliit na idea kesa mag salungatan tayo.

Sagot ko: Nadale mo, sa sariling pananalita mo na rin nagmula na makatulong sa kahit maliit na idea (teka nag english ka ah? Kala ko ba ayaw mo sa english?). Ang isang idea (panukala o pag-iisip) ay nararapat na dumaan sa isang discussion para malaman kung eto ba talaga ay nararapat sa mas nakakarami (democracy). Ang sumalungat sa isang idea hindi nangangahulugan na mali yung idea, pinapakita lang duon na meron ibang pag iisip na nasasagasaan. Ibig sabihin walang masama kung mag discussion ang mga tao. Kung sa ginto yan dapat mong isalang sa apoy para lalong kuminang. Kung nagkakasalungatan man sa ngayon dito sa forum eto ay nagpapatunay lang na madaming pagiisip na dapat bigyan ng pansin, hindi yun nangangahulugan ng isang pag aaway.

Sabi mo: bayaan mo na ang ano mang agency na humusga sa mga corrupt. nandyan din ang anti corruption,nbi.Ombudsman.mga pulis etchetera.

Sagot ko: papano kung ang mismong mga agency (ayan nag english ka na naman) na iyan ay mismong mga corrupt (ayan nag english ka ulit). Papano natin pagkakatiwalaan yan na merong mangyayari? Yung kapatid mo binubugbog ng Tatay mo tapos sasabihin mo sa pulis bayaan nyo na lang ang tatay ko ang mag ayos ng gulo. Papano yun eh mamatay na yung kapatid mo sa bugbog ng tatay mo?

Sabi mo: nandyan din ang anti corruption,nbi.Ombudsman.mga pulis etchetera.konsensya na nila un kung puro pagnanakaw ang gagawin nila.

Sagot ko: Konsensiya ba kamo? Eh papano kung walang konsensya? Ok lang ba yun? Sasabihin mo sa tatay mo na nagbugbog, konsensya mo nalang yan tatay kung mamatay ang kapatid ko. Eh papano yung konsensya mo na pinabayaan mo yung kapatid mo na mamatay?

Sabi mo: kung gagawin natin dito magpalitan ng magagaling na english e wala naman action o idea wala ring mangyayari

Sagot ko: Bakit yung english ang nakikita mo? Bakit hindi yung idea na nakapaloob sa english nila? Hindi bat ang isang action (nag english ka ulit) ay nagmumula sa isang idea? At ang isang idea ay nagmumula sa mga nagsasalita? Kung may naglahad ng ideya sa isang pahayagan, o isang blog o isang kapulungan at yun ay narinig ng isang tao at iniligay niya sa gawa, dibat yung kanyang gawa ay nagmula sa isang ideya na hindi naman sinasadyang sa kanya ay iparinig? Tingnan mo yung storya ng DHL or FedEx. Yung ideya na yan nagmula yan sa isang college student, ng inilahad niya yang ideya na yan pinagtawanan siya, pero asan na ngayon ang ideya? Multibillion na diba?

Sabi mo: saka wag na sana nilang tawaging bagong bayani ang mga ofw kasi sa harapan lang yun sinasabi pag nakatalikod ka na ang pagkakakilala nila sa mga ofw ay mababang alipin

Sagot ko: Yung pagbabago sa isang kinalalagyan ay nagmumula sa nakalagay. Ibig sabihin, kung ang gobyerno ay naglahad ng isang gawain na itaas ang pagtingin sa mga OFW, hindi yan nangangahulugan na magaganap sa magdamag. And pagtangap ng lipunan sa isang uri ng lipon ay ay di tulad ng pagkain na isusubo at lulunukin, yan ay isang matagal ng proseso. Ikaw at ako bilang isang OFW ay nararapat na pangatawanan ang isang iginawad upang tuluyang maangkop ng lipunang ginagalawan. This will start by how you deal with the people whom you engage in your everyday life.

The summary of my point are:

1. You should not condemn people who are discussing in English. Pansinin mo yung mga enclosed parenthesis ko. Dibat ikaw din ay gumagamit ng wikang banyaga sa paglalahad ng iyong ideya? Samakatuwid ginagamit natin yung ibang wika dahil duun natin naipapahayg ang saloobin natin. Ang pagkakaiba mo lang, mas kakaunti yung pag gamit mo ng wikang english.
2. You should not take someone idea in personal. Action come from idea, idea come out of talking or writing. Remember the rule…..those who know WHY normally become the boss, and those who know HOW normally become the worker. The boss does not necessarily have an original idea, he may get it somewhere and implement it, likewise the worker is encourage by a good boss to talk an idea because maybe in the process the boss may get something good no matter how small or crazy the idea is.

mac, siguro alam mo kung ano ang nangyayare sa ating paligid, naririyan ang mga senador na nasa opposition at maka gloria, sila sila ay nagtatalo talo at yun ay ilang taon na ang nakakaraan siguro alam mo na ngayon kung hanggang saan ang pagtatalong yan . ganun din ba ang gusto mong mangyare sa forum walang katapusang pagtatalo talo?magulo na nga ang ating gobyerno sa ngayon magulo pa ri n kayo dito( at yun ay di ako kasali sa gulo dito) kung may nakita kang idea (english) pano tayo makakatulong sa ating bansa sa lahat ng mga nangyaring discussion dito ay ipagpaumanhin mo na lamang kung sakaling di ko man nabasa . gustuhin ko man ,ikaw o tayong lahat na nasa ibayong dagat bilang isang ofw na bantayan ang mga namumuno sa ating gobyerno ay masasabi ko lang na di na natin trabaho pa yan at yan ay gawain na ng ahensyang aking nabanggit at konsensya na nila yun kung wala silang konsensya ay konsensya na nila yun.ang pagtawag na pagbabago sa isang ofw na tulad mo ay masarap pakinggan ngunit ang nais kung ipahiwatig sa iyo ay mga kapwa nating pilipino na nasa mataas na antas o yung mga tinatawag na residence ng ibang bayan o yung mga negosyante na sa labi lang nanggaling ang tamis na pagtawag sa mga ofw na bagong bayani ngunit sa likod naman nuon ay hindi ganun ang katotohanan.yung summary mo in 2 ang katotohanan lamang sa likod ng iyong mga pag salungat na kumukuha ka lang ng idea upang maging isa kang boss.

Thanks for the good words, Freewheel. There’s a lot of sense in what you said; written with logic and rationality. I cannot agree with you more about continuing the talk. Talking with one another is good for the soul provided it is done sensibly, without malice, and devoid of antagonism. I agree there will always be differences of opinions but that should not make the protagonists look like one is a hero and the other a heel. You are quite correct in your observation that the number of government critics in this forum has grown, and as it grows the emotions become more pervasive. On my part, however, what I see beyond what you have observed is that the number of pro-government critics has dwindled to the point that there seems to be only one left, Joselu, (I say that name says she’s a woman) holding herself up quite well in spite of the rebuke and sarcasm thrown at her for going against the tide. She continues to be rebuffed for saying what she believes in. I admire her for that. Gone are the fellows who used to write favorably about the government and with whom I have had some testy encounters in the past. Perhaps the feeling that they are not welcome made them decide to leave, which leads you to notice the disparity in the number of critics remaining in this forum.

On many occasions I have criticized the government for its shortcomings. I abhor some of the actions taken by the President too. Only the mindless will not. I have written my critique on this many times before I don’t have to repeat them every time I write. I don’t find it my obligation to anyone to explain which side I am on or wear it like a badge of courage. And perhaps, because I am not always heard saying it has made others think I am a GMA apologist which I am not. Like blogger Enzo, who complained of getting bashed for saying something favorable to GMA, I am not a pro-GMA, and neither am I anti-GMA. I am pro-country and pro-people, and I do and say what I think is best for my country. Just as I sometimes agree with Joselu, there are more times too that I don’t. Her political beliefs may differ from mine but, that doesn’t make her less patriotic than anyone here. How every one figures me out with regard to my political orientation is the least of my concerns. I criticize not by way of an emotional outburst and sarcastic pen, but with reason given fairly and objectively. When there are some good things the government has done that are worth mentioning and where proper credit must be given I say it. I do this not to antagonize any one here but for the benefit of those who are clueless and wondering if there is anything good left about the Philippines other than the negative side of the country that many keep telling and retelling endlessly. I try to show the positive when others show only the negative.

Unfortunately, for attempting to say that, even for thinking aloud that there was too much anger and hatred in this forum, it provoked an angry reaction from one who bashed me for saying that. I didn’t realize I wasn’t supposed to say even that. I am told, in not so many words, to go some place, my presence here is not welcome. Is the subtle hint a notice of sorts to make me understand that this forum has become an enclave of for-anti-GMA- members only?

Some enjoy writing their anger day in, day out. I have no problem with that. But when things would not work the way you wanted it and the others won’t follow your lead, then it’s time to do something better, something more productive under the circumstances even if you have to do it alone. That, in my view, is how I can help this country to rise again. That is my boundless optimism.

Para sa iyo ito Mowa,

Ipagpaumanhin mo na lang ako, pero itinatanong ko lang kung paano mo nasabi na “bayaan mo na ang ano mang agency na humusga sa mga corrupt”.
Anong agency ang nasa isip mo Mowa?
May alam ka pa bang government agency na HINDI CORRUPT? Kaya naging malala ang sakit ng bayan ay dahilan sa katulad mo Mowa, mga taong nagbubulagan at nagbibingihan! Walang nakikita, walang naririnig! Ayaw daw ng gulo pero ang totoo ay ayaw lang ipaglaban ang TAMA at lalong ayaw labanan ang MALI.
Marami pa tayong dapat ipaglaban sa buhay Mowa. Isa na ay ang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak, mga apo, mga pamilya, kaibigan, higit sa lahat, kinabukasan ng bayan! Anong bukas meron tayo?

Ang mga government agencies na nasa isip mo Mowa ay “nasa himpapawid, nasa itaas natin. Doon, sila ay nagbubulagan, nagbibingihan at tayo ay inaapakan. Ang masakit lang, tayo ang nagsusueldo sa kanila!